Donald Trump Taunts ‘Fake News’ After MS-13 ‘Animals’ Controversy

President Donald J. Trump ridiculed the establishment media on Friday for taking his comments describing MS-13 members as “animals” out of context by suggesting he was using the term to describe immigrants.

“Fake News Media had me calling Immigrants, or Illegal Immigrants, ‘Animals,’” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Wrong! They were begrudgingly forced to withdraw their stories.”

Several news outlets, including CNN, clarified their headlines to add context after their reports were exposed:

CNN Chyron Admits: Trump’s Animal Remarks ‘Taken Out of Context’ https://t.co/hvzvRmAJo3 pic.twitter.com/8b17cBWbX3

— TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) May 17, 2018

As reported in the article above, Trump’s remarks late Wednesday were in response to comments about members of MS-13 and other undocumented immigrants who are deported for committing crimes.

— CNN (@CNN) May 17, 2018

AP has deleted a tweet from late Wednesday on Trump’s “animals” comment about immigrants because it wasn’t made clear that he was speaking after a comment about gang members.

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 17, 2018

Trump accused reporters of trying to intentionally mislead people about the context of his remarks.

“I referred to MS 13 Gang Members as ‘Animals,’ a big difference – and so true,” Trump wrote. “Fake News got it purposely wrong, as usual!”:

Fake News Media had me calling Immigrants, or Illegal Immigrants, “Animals.” Wrong! They were begrudgingly forced to withdraw their stories. I referred to MS 13 Gang Members as “Animals,” a big difference – and so true. Fake News got it purposely wrong, as usual!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2018

The New York Times did not run a correction but filed a separate story putting Trump’s remarks in context.

“I’m referring – and you know I’m referring – to the MS-13 gangs that are coming in,” Trump told a reporter at the White House on Thursday. “We have laws that are laughed at on immigration. So when the MS-13 comes in, when the other gang members come into our country, I refer to them as animals, and guess what: I always will.”